Why don't more people use alternative energy?

Question

I know that the number of people switching from coal and fossil fuels is growing, but how come more people don't use it? Do you use it?

Answer 1

The main reason is that all the alternative that exists in the world today is already being used. When more is produced, more people will use it. The other reason is that it typically costs more so not many companies are willing to produce it and suffer the lower profits or even losses that would result from selling it to consumers at a price they would be willing to pay.

(EDIT) Which is obviously a really long winded way of saying exactly what "Your Conscience"  said.

Answer 2

Its too expensive.   15 year payback is typical.

Answer 3

Too expensive

Too inconvenient

To unreliable

Answer 4

Well it's more expensive and less widely availible. I have a few CFLs installed in my house but that's about it.

Answer 5

No. There isnt any stations near me (to my knowledge) that carry the E-85 corn oil. Also, cars that completely run on alternative fuels, i.e. electricity, hydrogen, are expensive and somewhat hard to find.

Answer 6

Were a Henry Ford type assembly of Solar Power and Electric cars to make it possible to afford there we are . Set up campaign for people which will help make it happen. Vote them in on all levels from Mayor to Federal level if possible. Solar Power Party has name which implies ready for this. Were people to run on a Solar Power, money for education platform, money for Public Health system then possible. All tie together for reason people would be more healthy with each. Not switching  for reason only on rare occasions use an automobile at all.  Do not use coal use electricity. Hope suggestions not offensive

Answer 7

What kind of "alternative" energy should people in Minnesota use to heat their homes?    The greenies are even against wood heat, because they don't want another tree to ever be cut down.  So what do you suggest?    Do the people there have a choice of oil, kerosene, propane, electricity, or "aternative" to heat their homes?

Answer 8

It is more expensive and not available as much

Answer 9

Sure, I buy gas that has as much as 15% gasohol in it! The reason more people don't use alternative energy is because they're discouraged from doing so by the present republican administration to benefit the oil industry!

Answer 10

小石

Hydrogen is a great option for the concept of free energy.     I built my first hydrogen cell about 5 years ago and now currently run 2 trucks, my home hot water heater, home stove and home generator on hydrogen for free with caught rain water and the help of a $10 solar panel.  I offer a step by step DIY guide to walk anyone interested threw the process. You can find it at http://www.agua-luna.com/hydrogen.html or you can email me.

There are basically 3 safe ways to make and use it... chemically, electrically and molecularly, the first 2 being easier so I'll only discuss them here. The fallowing steps were taking directly out of a DIY guide I offer to those who would like to run their vehicles or home on hydrogen safely. The entire guide is available at http://www.agua-luna.com/guides.html

    On demand h2 generators are a bit different from the Hollywood versions like seen Chain Reaction with Keanu Reeves, that tend to explode violently every time a film is being made. However when used in an on-demand system there is no storage of hydrogen and oxygen in its gas form, only liquid (water) and is only transformed into gas “on-demand” in small cylinder size amounts. It’s actually safer then gasoline as it doesn’t evaporate, creating explosive fumes in the tank like gas.

    Chemically

    1. You’ll need a 6inch x 1ft schedule 40 pvc pipe. With pvc cement glue a cap on the bottom and use a s***w on cap for the top. Drill a small hole (1/4inch or so) in the side close to the top, s******g in a small copper shut off valve. Place a few feet of stranded (food grade is good) flex hose to the valve and into the air intake of your engine (carburetor or fuel injections).

    2. Now crunch up a couple aluminum cans (beer cans, soda cans etc) and drop them into the pvc pipe, along with a couple cups of lye (Red Devil drain opener has lye in it, some Clorox and Drano’s do to).

    3. Then simply add water, s***w on the top and wait a few minutes.

    What happens in simplicity is that aluminum and lye don’t really get along so they battle, and as always the innocent civilians (water H2O) that the most casualties, by giving up its hydrogen and oxygen. This then builds up in the void of the pipe and is ready to be vented into your engine, by opening the valve. You may need to start your engine on gas then switch it off after the hydrogen starts burning.

    Electrical is a bit easier then Chemically.

    1. Simply take a small solar panel 1.5 amps is what I use ($9 at harborfreight.com), connect the 2 wires from the panel +- to 2 conductors (carbon cores of batteries work well, just be careful removing it from the jacket), but any conductive material will work ie. Copper, aluminum, steel, etc.

    2. Drop the wires into a water tank (I use 55gal drums), make sure they don’t touch each other.

    3. Drill a small hole (1/4inch or so) in the side close to the top, s******g in a small copper shut off valve. Place a few feet of stranded (food grade is good) flex hose to the valve and into the air intake of your engine (carburetor or fuel injections).

    4. Then simply add water, s***w on the top cap and wait.

    After a few hours tiny bubbles will form and rise off one conductor (that’s hydrogen) and even smaller bubbles that just looks like foam will rise off the other (oxygen). I don’t remember which likes the positive and which likes the neg hydrogen or the oxygen.

    The third method is more complicated and is what I use for my vehicles. It’s just a modified Joe’s Cell, there’s a step by step DIY guide available to walk you threw the process here http://www.agua-luna.com/hydrogen.html It also covers the other 2 methods described in more detail.

Hope this helped, feel free to contact me personally if you have any questions if you’d like assistance in making your first self sufficient steps, I’m willing to walk you step by step threw the process. I’ve written several how-to DIY guides available at http://www.agua-luna.com on the subject. I also offer online and on-site workshops, seminars and internships to help others help the environment.

Dan Martin

Retired Boeing Engineer now living 100% Off-the-Grid with my family, using Alternative Energy & loving every minute.

for more info visit agua-luna com or email me at [e-mail]

http://www.agua-luna.com

Stop Global Warming, Receive

Answer 11

Perhaps it's lack of education and cost.

Answer 12

the cost indeed , but the limitations when you live in the suburbs are even more constricting than the cost.